Philippine chief justice expects impeachment but confident she will beat Duterte’s allegations of corruption
The president last year accused Maria Lourdes Sereno and a top anti-graft prosecutor of allowing themselves to be used to discredit his administration
The Philippine Supreme Court’s chief justice – who has drawn the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte – expects to be impeached by the House next month and will go on leave to prepare for the trial she is confident of winning, her spokesman said on Wednesday.
Last year, he said he wanted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and a top anti-graft prosecutor impeached and accused them of allowing themselves to be used to discredit his administration.
Sereno will start an indefinite leave on Thursday but will not resign amid reports that rival justices demanded she quit in a closed-door meeting, her spokesman Jojo Lacanilao said.
“There is no body or institution outside the Senate which can force the chief justice to resign,” Lacanilao told a news conference. He added that any action to force Sereno to step down other than by convicting her in a Senate trial would be unconstitutional.
